Castle Rock, CO vs Vacaville, CA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Vacaville, CA has a modeled overall cost index 7.0% higher than Castle Rock, CO.

Castle Rock, CO · modeled 2BR rent: $2,170 / month
Vacaville, CA · modeled 2BR rent: $2,310 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Castle Rock, CO and Vacaville, CA using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Castle Rock, CO

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $396/month in Vacaville, CA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $154,750 in Vacaville, CA

Regional cost estimates: Castle Rock, CO uses Denver, CO. Vacaville, CA uses Sacramento, CA. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 7.0%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$396

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$4.8K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Castle Rock, CO

Population:81K

Cost Index:

104.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$604K

Vacaville, CA

Population:103K

Cost Index:

112.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$611K

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Castle Rock, CO

The Centennial State

81K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Colorado, this city has a population of 81K residents.

Vacaville, CA

The Golden State

103K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in California, this city has a population of 103K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Castle Rock, CO vs Vacaville, CA

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Castle Rock, CO	Vacaville, CA	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,612/mo	$2,964/mo	↑ $352more	13.5%
Other	$1,585/mo	$1,625/mo	↑ $39.86more	2.5%
Groceries	$943/mo	$973/mo	↑ $30.44more	3.2%
Transportation	$1,306/mo	$1,277/mo	↓ $28.79less	2.2%
All Utilities	$475/mo	$487/mo	↑ $11.50more	2.4%
Healthcare	$579/mo	$569/mo	↓ $9.61less	1.7%

Housing

↑ 13.5%

Castle Rock, CO

$2,612

Vacaville, CA

$2,964

Difference

$352

Other

↑ 2.5%

Castle Rock, CO

$1,585

Vacaville, CA

$1,625

Difference

$39.86

Groceries

↑ 3.2%

Castle Rock, CO

$943

Vacaville, CA

$973

Difference

$30.44

Transportation

↓ 2.2%

Castle Rock, CO

$1,306

Vacaville, CA

$1,277

Difference

$28.79

less

All Utilities

↑ 2.4%

Castle Rock, CO

$475

Vacaville, CA

$487

Difference

$11.50

Healthcare

↓ 1.7%

Castle Rock, CO

$579

Vacaville, CA

$569

Difference

$9.61

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,710

To$1,680

↓ $30.00

1 Bed

From$1,820

To$1,820

→ $0

2 Bed

From$2,170

To$2,310

↑ $140

3 Bed

From$2,840

To$3,060

↑ $220

Castle Rock, COZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,820–$1,820/mo

Vacaville, CAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,740–$1,900/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Castle Rock, CO

$7,896

Monthly in Vacaville, CA

$396

Difference

Home Values

Castle Rock

Vacaville

$604K

Median Value

$611K

↓ -2%

YoY Change

↓ -1.6%

↑ +26.2%

5-Year Change

↑ +16%

$604K

Price Range

$571K - $650K

Homes in Vacaville are 1% more expensive than Castle Rock

Calculate payment - Castle Rock Calculate payment - Vacaville

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $4.0K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$336

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

2.7%

Rate difference

Castle Rock, CO

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Colorado State Tax

Effective: 4.4%

$6.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.1%

$43.6K

Take-Home Pay

$8,866/month

$106.4K

Vacaville, CA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

California State Tax

Effective: 7.1%

$10.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.8%

$47.6K

Take-Home Pay

$8,530/month

$102.4K

Additional Tax Information

Castle Rock, CO Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.8%

Property Tax:0.5%

Vacaville, CA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:10.5%

Property Tax:0.8%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Castle Rock

Vacaville

55 Moderate

Air Quality

51 Moderate

35.2%

Good Air Days

49.7%

95 High

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌪💨

Top Hazards

🌊☀🫨

▲+3.3°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.4°F

28 days

Heat Days >95°F

69 days

▲+3.3°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.4°F

28 days

Heat Days >95°F

69 days

Before moving from Castle Rock, CO to Vacaville, CA

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Vacaville, CA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Castle Rock, CO. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Castle Rock to Vacaville moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Vacaville, CA by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Castle Rock, CO vs Vacaville, CA

How do the cost estimates for Castle Rock, CO and Vacaville, CA compare?

Vacaville, CA has a modeled overall cost index 7.0% higher than Castle Rock, CO. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Castle Rock, CO, the model estimates $154,750 in Vacaville, CA. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Castle Rock, CO and Vacaville, CA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,170/month in Castle Rock, CO and $2,310/month in Vacaville, CA. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Colorado and California on TaxTakeHome.com